nicholls



No. 6l5,097. Patented Nov. .29, I898.

M. NICHOLLS.

MITER BOX.

(Application filed Aug. 25, 1897.;

No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet I.

NITED STATES PATENT Fries.

MOSES NICHOLLS, OF GLENWOOD, IOWA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO FRANK GIGRAY,OF SAME PLACE.

MlTER-BOX.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters PatentNo. 615,097, dated November29, 1898.

Application filed, August 25, 1 8 9 7.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, Mosns NICHOLLS, of Glenwood, in the county of Mills,State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inMiter-Boxes, of which the following is a complete specification,reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

The object of my invention is to produce certain improvements inmiter-boxes of the class shown in my Patent No. 536,936, issued April 2,1895, whereby particularly the adj ustability and adaptability of themachine is improved and whereby its general practical efficiency isincreased.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure I is a perspective View of mymachine complete, with the saw-guides in the vertical adjustment andwith the guide-carriage at right angles to the bed-plate. Fig. II is atop plan view of the same with the floor of the bedplate removed. Fig.III is a central vertical section of the machine, taken on the line IIIIII of Fig. II:

Referring to the figures on the drawings, 1 indicates the bed-plate ofmy machine, which preferably consists of a single skeleton casting. Toit are preferably secured at oppositeends leg-supports 2, which inpractice may be screwed to a bench or the like. In one side of thebed-plate, near its middle part, is provided in the bed-plate casting acollar or hub 3. Extending between the sides 4 and 5 of the bed-plate,with the center of the collar 3 as its center, is provided asemicircular track or brace 6, and extending through it between thesides 4 and 5 are preferably provided diagonal braces 7 and cross-braces8'.

10 indicates the main frame-piece of the guide-carriage, which-isprovided at its opposite ends with heads 11, having exteriorvertically-disposed flat surfaces. The carriage near one end is providedwith a bolt-hole 13, through which a bolt 14 passes. The bolt 14, whosehead is preferably countersunk in the bolt-hole 13, passes downwardlythrough the collar 3 and through an aperture 15 in theguide-carriage-clamping member 16, upon the opposite sides of which nuts17 are screwed upon its ends to movably unite the parts specified. Theretaining member 16 is preferably provided at the end opposite the bolt-Serial No 649,476. (No model.)

hole 15 with an upturned end 18, through which a set-screw 19 passes inorder to enter a screw-threaded aperture in a cross-piece 20 upon theguide-carriage frame-piece 10. The frame-piece 10 and the retainingmember 16 extend. upon opposite ends of the frame-piece 1, upon which itis movable with a degree of friction determinable by the adjustment ofthe set-screw 19.

The retaining member 16 is provided with a longitudinally-disposedelongated recess 21, within which works the upturned end 22 of a lever23, pivoted, as indicated at 24, to the opposite walls of the retainingmember 16. The upturned or engaging end 22 of the lever is normallyurged toward the frame 1, as by a spring 25, fixedly set between thelever and the retaining member 16. The lever 23 terminates in a handleor thumb-piece 26 and is preferably held in alinement by a stud 27,projecting downwardly from the adjacent head 11 of the frame-piece 10through a slot 28 in the lever. The engaging end 22 of the lever swingsin the path of the track 6, which is notched at required intervals forits recepttion, one of the notches being indicated at 29 .in thedrawings. By means of the lever and the notched semicircular track 6 thehorizontal swing of the guide-carriage may be adjusted, the onlymanipulation required being the depression'of the handle 26 of the lever23 and the shifting of the position of the carriage to the requiredangle.

30 indicates a rock-shaft, which is preferably united to or castintegrally with guidesockets 32, secured to its opposite ends. Thelength of the rock-shaft 30 is substantially equal to the distancebetween the opposite flat surfaces of the guide-carriage heads 11, sothat the opposing faces of the tailpieces 33 of the sockets 32 may workagainst the faces 34 of the heads. For this purpose the opposite facesof the tailpieces 33 are planed flat to meet the faces 34, as indicatedat 35. Adjacent to the sockets 32 the rock-shaft 30 is preferably turnedto form smooth bearings 36, that are secured in the upper parts,respectively, of the opposite headsll of the guidecarriage, as in splitboxes 37, the cap-pieces 38 whereof may be secured, as by. screws 39.

The head 11 adjacent to the handle 26 is provided with a segmental slot42, concentric with the rock-shaft 30. Through the slot 42 is inserted abolt 43, which, passing through a bolt-hole 44 in a boss 45, providedfor it on its tailpiece 33, carries on its outer screw-threadedextremity a winged nut 40.

By the means described the sockets maybe set at any vertical inclinationand when set may be rigidly secured to the head across which itoscillates by turning the nut 46. The edge of the head is preferablycurved concentrically with the slot 42 and is provided with ascale-measure 47, against which the angle of the inclination of thesocket may be nieasured, the edge of the tailpiece 33 being employed asan indicator.

Each of the sockets is hollow through its entire length and is providedin its side walls with diametrically opposite narrow slits orsaw-recesses 49. In the two sockets there are four slits altogether andeach of the slits is in vertical alinement one with the other. Each ofthe sockets carries a saw-guide 50. Each saw-guide is provided with anenlarged head 51, that is employed to limit the downward movement of theguide through its socket,

and each is provided in its opposite walls with a blade-kerf 53, havingat its opposite ends enlarged apertures 54 and 55, respectively. Thekerfs 53 are designed to aline with the slits 49 to permit the receptionof a tenon or other saw in the ordinary manner, the enlarged aperture 54at the upper end of the respective kerfs being especially provided toaccommodate the back of a tenon-saw.

For adjusting the downward cut of the saw I prefer to provide upon eachof the sockets a longitudinally-slotted plate 55, through whose slot 56a winged bolt 57 enters a screwthreaded hole 59 in the socket.

By the manipulation of the bolts 57 the plates 55" may be adjustedvertically upon the sockets. Each plate 55 is provided at its upper endwith a flange 58,which, projecting in the path of the head 51 of theguide, limits the downward movement of the guide. By this means throughthe adjustment of the plate 55 the downward cut of the saw maybelimited, and by reason of the independence of the adjustment of theplates it maybe made to cut in a line parallel or oblique to thebedplate of the machine, as well as to a predetermined limit.

The rock-shaft 30 is preferably depressed or embedded between theopposite sides of the main framepiece 10 of the guide-carriage, whoseedges preferably rise flush with the surface of the top of the floor (30of the bedplate 1. The floor 60 preferably consists simply of two piecesof wood, having obliquelydisposed edges 61, whose planes approach eachother in the direction of a right angle. The guide-carriage swingsbetween the edges 61, and its movement is limited by them and by thefaces of the oblique braces 7 with which they are alined.

Through the construction described, in which the floor 60 and the edgesof the framepiece 10 are made flush one with the other, a practicallycontinuous support for material to be sawed is at all times afforded,the edges of the material defined by the cut of the saw, both before andafter they are severed, being firmly sustained by the edges of theframepiece 10.

As above specified, the plates 55 serve, through engagement with theirflanges 58, to adjust the elevation of the guides 50. An additional andpermanent means of limiting the downward movement of the guides is,however, provided in order to prevent without any intermediateprotection contact between the saw-blade and any portion of theguidecarriage or parts thereon located underneath the edge of the saw. Iprefer to employ for that purpose set-screws 62, which, screwing insuitably-threaded apertures in the bosses 45, that are provided uponboth of the tailpieces 33, abut against the ends of the sawguides 50,respectively, and serve to interrupt the downward movement of thesaw-guides at any point to which they may be adjusted.

The bed-plate 1 is provided with vertical back plates 64, whose interiorsurfaces are preferably corrugated, as illustrated. The back plates 64may be secured to the bedplate or, as illustrated, cast integrallythere-.

with. The only distinctive feature of the back plates consists of theembodiment there with of separable substantially triangular sections 65,which when in place present vertical parallel edges 66, between which avertical saw-blade may work. The lines of juncture between the opposingedges of the sections 65 are clearly illustratedat 67 in Fig. I of thedrawings.

The sections 65 are employed to advantage for all horizontal adjustmentsof the guidecarriage 10. When, however, a verticallyoblique adjustmentis required through the swinging movement and adjustment of therock-shaft 30, one or the other of the sections may be removed. Thesections are preferably provided with flanges 68, (see Fig. 11,) throughwhich wing-nuts 69 are inserted and screwed into the back plates 64.

For clamping the work upon the floor 60 of the bed-plate any suitableclamping mechanism may be employed. That illustrated consists of an arch70, provided with a long leg 71, which may be inserted into a suitableaperture in a lug 72 upon the back of the bedplate and secured inposition, as by an abutment wing-bolt 73, screwing into the wall of thelug. The shorter or overhanging leg '75 of the arch extends above thefloor 60 of the bed-plate and may be swung upon the long leg as a pivotto and from the back plates 64. To hold the material to be cut upon thefloor 60, the arch is first adjusted and approximately at the requiredelevation, after which the material may be clamped, as by means of a cam76, pivoted to the end of the leg 75 and provided with a handle 77, bywhich it may be actuated.

What I claim is 1. In a miter-box, the combination with a bed-plate of aguide-carriage comprising a main frame-piece located above and aclamping member located below the bed-plate respectively, a bolt passingthrough the members of the guide-carriage adjacent to one end andthrough the base-plate, a rock-shaftjournaled Within the mainframe-pieceabove the base-plate and provided at its opposite ends with guide-sockets, saw-guides within said sockets, means for limiting themovement of said guides, mechanism for pivotally adjusting theguide-carriage, means for adjusting the inclination of the guidesockets, and means for regulating the frictional resistance opposed tothe rotation of the rock-shaft, substantially as specified.

2. In a miter-box, the combination with a bed-plate, of a guide-carriagecomprising a main frame-piece located above and a clamping memberlocated below the base-plate, a bolt passing through the members of theguide-carriage and through the base-plate and designed to pivotallyunite the latter with the guide-carriage, a rook-shaft journaled in themain frame-piece above the baseplate and provided with terminalguide-sockets, guides within the guide-sockets, means for fixingtheangular adjustment of the sockets, means for fixing the pivotaladjustment of the guide-carriage, an extension upon the clamping memberof the guide-carriage, and a set-screw passing through the extension,through the main frame-piece, and into contact with the rock-shaftwhereby the members of the guide-carriage are retained in their properrelative positions, and the frictional resistance to the rotation of therock-shaft may be regulated, substantially as specified.

3. In a miter-box, the combination with a bed-plate of a mainframe-piece located above the base-plate and provided with dependingterminal heads, a clamping member located below the base-plate, a boltpivotally uniting the main frame-piece and the clamping member to thebase-plate, a curved track provided with a series of notches, aspring-actuated lever carried by the clamping member provided with anupturned end designed to engage the notches in the track, and with anaperture adjacent to its opposite end, a stud carried by one of theheads of the guide-carriage and extending through the aperture in thelatter, a rock-shat t j ournaled to the main frame-piece above thebase-plate, and provided with terminal saw-guides, and with dependingtailpieces lying fiat against the head of the main frame-piece, one ofwhich latter is provided with a curved slot and adjacent scale, a bossupon one of the tailpieces, abolt 43 passing through the slot in thehead and through the boss, a nut upon the bolt designed to fix therock-shaft in its adjusted position, aset-screw likewise passing throughsaid boss and designed to limit the movement of the adjacent saw-guide,an extension upon the clamping member and a set-screw passing throughsaid extension and through the main guide-piece into contact with therockshaft whereby the members of the guide-car riage are secured intheir proper relative positions and the frictional resistance to therotation of the rock-shaft is regulated.

4:. In a miter-box, the combination with a bed-platev and back plates,of a guide-carriage pivotally united to the bed-plate, a rockshaftcarried by the guide-carriage saw-guides carried at the opposite ends ofthe rock-shaft, and substantially triangular removable backplatesections presenting parallel contiguous edges when in place and designedby their removal to leave an angular aperture for the accommodation ofthe saw, substantially as specified.

In testimony of all which I have hereunto subscribed my name.

MOSES NIOI-IOLLS. WVitnesses:

E. STARBUCK, W. L. SMITH.

